Is Gen Z Financially Doomed? Let’s Talk About It

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Is Gen Z Financially Doomed? Let’s Talk About It"

Podcast Information:

• Title: Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
• Host/Authors: Rachel Cruze and George Kamel
• Publisher: Ramsey Network
• Episode Release Date: July 17, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of Smart Money Happy Hour, Rachel Cruze and George Kamel delve into the financial landscape facing Generation Z. The conversation blends practical financial advice with cultural observations, aiming to provide Gen Z listeners with insights and strategies to navigate their unique economic challenges.

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Financial Challenges for Gen Z

1. Student Loan Debt Rachel and George highlight the escalating issue of student loan debt as a significant barrier for Gen Z. Rachel states, “The total amount of student loan debt in America right now is $1.77 trillion” (04:05). She emphasizes that the burden of student loans has intensified over the years, making it harder for Gen Z to achieve financial stability.

George adds, “There's a victim mentality around student loans... some of this is not your fault, but you also signed on the dotted line” (05:11). This perspective underscores the systemic issues contributing to the debt crisis while acknowledging individual accountability.

2. Housing Market Pressures The hosts discuss the daunting housing market, noting skyrocketing prices and high-interest rates. Rachel mentions, “In 2023, rates reached a 20-year high, which is the highest Gen Z has seen in their lifetime” (12:42). This makes homeownership a challenging and often distant goal for many in this generation.

3. Increased Convenience Culture George points out how the proliferation of convenience services like rideshares, food delivery, and subscription models can lead to overspending. “The convenience is easy to overspend,” he explains (15:10). This trend can undermine financial stability by encouraging habitual spending without long-term financial planning.

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Strengths and Opportunities for Gen Z

1. Realness and Resilience Rachel and George commend Gen Z for their authenticity and resilience. Rachel notes, “They are the first generation very tough kids. Social media at 12. God bless you all. The fact that y’all are still here, that’s a miracle” (01:42). This toughness, forged through early exposure to online bullying, equips Gen Z with the tenacity to face financial hardships.

2. Access to Financial Education One of the significant advantages for Gen Z is the unprecedented access to financial education. Rachel asserts, “More access to financial education. If you want to learn something, you can do it” (15:39). This democratization of knowledge empowers Gen Z to make informed financial decisions and build wealth from an early age.

3. Diverse Career Options and Side Hustles The conversation highlights the myriad of career paths and side hustles available to Gen Z. George elaborates, “There’s so much more opportunity and more things you can just… I downloaded the Instacart driver app and that night I was out driving making money” (19:32). This entrepreneurial spirit allows Gen Z to explore multiple income streams, fostering financial independence and flexibility.

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Overprotective Parenting and Its Impacts

Rachel and George debate the shift from the "helicopter parenting" of previous generations to the "snowplow parenting" of today. Rachel remarks, “Now it's snowplow parents. So they smooth out the path for the kid. So there's no bumps, no hurt, like nothing” (09:10). This overprotectiveness can hinder the development of resilience and problem-solving skills in Gen Z.

George adds, “We are created to contribute. Like we're wired in our bodies to” (25:16), emphasizing the importance of fostering independence and a sense of responsibility to ensure that Gen Z can thrive beyond financial challenges.

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Personal Anecdotes and Practical Advice

1. Reflections on College Education Rachel shares her positive experience with college, stating, “I did go to college. University of Tennessee. Go Falls and got a communications major. I'm actually using it” (25:34). In contrast, George reflects on his varied college journey and the burdens of student debt, lamenting, “Do I regret it? I regret the debt part. Do I regret the education? I'm with Rachel on this” (27:45).

2. Budgeting and Financial Habits Rachel emphasizes the transformative power of budgeting: “I have to say, the budget has helped so much... it just kind of gives everything a level of control” (31:00). She advocates for using budgeting apps to manage expenses effectively and build savings.

George highlights the importance of aligning financial principles with personal relationships: “Marry the right person. That's the greatest wealth-building hack I can give you” (32:09). This underscores the role of supportive partnerships in achieving financial goals.

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Tools and Resources

1. Financial Management Apps Rachel recommends the budgeting app EveryDollar, noting its effectiveness in tracking expenses and managing budgets. She encourages listeners to download and utilize the app for better financial control (31:00).

2. Privacy Protection Services George promotes Delete Me, a service that helps remove personal data from the internet to protect against harassment and phishing scams. He explains, “Delete Me helps with all of that. They'll send you a report that's easy to see how much time they've saved you” (20:29).

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Conclusion

Rachel and George conclude with an optimistic outlook, asserting that Gen Z has the potential to surpass previous generations in financial success. Rachel states, “I think Gen Z's got this. I really do” (33:25), while George encourages leveraging resourcefulness and resisting societal and parental financial pitfalls: “Use your resourcefulness to your benefit financially” (34:19).

They reinforce that despite the economic challenges, Gen Z possesses the tools, knowledge, and resilience to build a prosperous future. The hosts urge listeners to stay informed, make prudent financial decisions, and embrace the opportunities available to them.

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Notable Quotes

• Rachel Cruze (04:05): “The total amount of student loan debt in America right now is $1.77 trillion.”

• George Kamel (05:11): “There's a victim mentality around student loans... some of this is not your fault, but you also signed on the dotted line.”

• Rachel Cruze (01:42): “They are the first generation very tough kids. Social media at 12. God bless you all. The fact that y’all are still here, that’s a miracle.”

• George Kamel (32:09): “Marry the right person. That's the greatest wealth-building hack I can give you.”

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Final Thoughts

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for Gen Z, addressing their financial obstacles while highlighting their strengths and the resources available to them. Rachel Cruze and George Kamel blend practical advice with relatable anecdotes, making complex financial topics accessible and actionable for younger listeners.

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Time References:

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<a name="time09:10"></a> [09:10]

<a name="time25:16"></a> [25:16]

<a name="time25:34"></a> [25:34]

<a name="time27:45"></a> [27:45]

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<a name="time34:19"></a> [34:19]

Transcript

[George Camel]

Today, we're taking Gen Z under our millennial wings. It is going to be so adorable and so financially practical.

[RA Cruz]

So some of those negative things for Gen Z, housing markets, student loan debts, all that. There are some perks they have, though.

[George Camel]

My first thought is like, I. I'm sorry for how insecure you are. That's my true first thought. My second thought is ew.

[RA Cruz]

Hey, guys. I'm RA Cruz.

[George Camel]

I'm George Camel.

[RA Cruz]

And this is Smart Money Happy Hour. Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about everything from pop culture, current events, and money.

[George Camel]

And before we get to the hot goss among the youth we got. I think that's what they say.

[RA Cruz]

Still hot goss. Yeah. Goss up. Yeah.

[George Camel]

I think after Ryan Gosling. I think it's a Gosling reference.

[RA Cruz]

Oh, funny.

[George Camel]

I don't think it is gossip.

[RA Cruz]

That's the term gossip. Yeah.

[George Camel]

Let's talk about what we're sipping on. It is a strawberry mojito mocktail. I'm gonna just let the cat out of the bag. Pretty good.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

This is a good one so far.

[RA Cruz]

This is a good one.

[George Camel]

So stick around till the end. We'll give you our rating and reveal the cost per glass.

[RA Cruz]

Yep.

[George Camel]

Okay. Well, Gen Z gets a lot of heat, and rightfully so. You think they ate Tide pods at one point? So I feel like we gotta. Can't let them off the hook for that one. But one thing I love about them is that they are real. Do you at least agree with that?

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, for sure. I mean, they can be aggressive about it too, right? I mean, they're.

[George Camel]

They're not scared.

[RA Cruz]

They're not scared. Ain't scared of anything.

[George Camel]

They grew up getting bullied on the Internet, so they're very tough.

[RA Cruz]

They're the first generation, very tough kids. Social media at 12. God bless you all. The fact that y' all are still here, that's a. That's a miracle.

[George Camel]

Yes.

[RA Cruz]

Could you imagine if we had that? We couldn't handle that. If our boomer parents had the Internet and it got all of that mean stuff on social media when they were little, they wouldn't survive all that. They're strong.

[George Camel]

Gen Z is strong, very resilient. And have you seen these videos on social media where it's just someone posting a selfie with suspenseful music and then a prompt says, I'm bored comment your craziest first date story or I'm bored comment your most unhinged financial advice? I don't Know why I love those?

[RA Cruz]

Those are funny. And then I love the ones that are like, okay, how did Millennials. Millennials, please. How did you survive the 2008 recession? Or like, millennials, how did y' all have weddings without the Internet and being able to book everything on the Internet? Like, it was so, like, they always want to know our advice and how we lived in the world when we did.

[George Camel]

And then we give them the advice and they go, ew.

[RA Cruz]

Why would you ask ew?

[George Camel]

Well, we've lived through a lot, us millennials, me and you, and we're here to shoot you straight about your financial future and offer some tools to. To help you achieve some money goals, despite how easy or difficult you have it compared to other generations.

[RA Cruz]

Yep. So Gen Z, this episode's for you. And even if you're not in Gen Z, you'll probably appreciate it.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I think the boomers are sitting up above it all, judging. And the Gen Xers are like, don't forget about us again.

[RA Cruz]

They are kind of lost.

[George Camel]

We exist, too.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, those are the lost generation.

[George Camel]

Go listen to some Pearl Jam, bud. You'll be all right. All right.

[RA Cruz]

If producer Kelly was here, she would not appreciate it.

[George Camel]

She'd be very upset. Well, let's get real about the factors that may make it more difficult for Gen Z to get ahead financially.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Because there's some real talk here.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah. I'm going to start off with student loans.

[George Camel]

That's a big one.

[RA Cruz]

I think it's. It has increased so much. Like, I remember being in school, I was there in 2006, and student loans were there, but it was like a. It kind of felt so, like few and far between. It wasn't like a automatic, and it.

[George Camel]

Wasn'T really talked about.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah. It just was. Yeah. But now I feel like if you, like, went to school in, like, 2012 or 13 or 14 or 15, everyone had loans and, like, a lot of loans because tuition was so high, it started to creep up a lot. I don't know. I just like the student loan part. And the industry was so much more aggressive towards Gen Z and all of it. I don't know. I just think they got the bad end of the student loan stick, if you will.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I mean, they're more prevalent, they're more normalized, and they're more available.

[RA Cruz]

Yes, that's a good way of putting it.

[George Camel]

Let's cover a few stats here.

[RA Cruz]

Okay. So the total amount of student loan debt in America right now is $1.77 trillion. The average student loan borrower borrows $38,883, which I want to say that's a little lower than I would have thought maybe because we host the Ramsey show and we get people that have like 120, 140, like, like six figures has become more common, I feel like. So, you know, if you're under 40 grand, not doing too shabby doing for you, Doing good. The average interest rate is 6.53% and the average student loan payment is over $200 a month.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I mean, I had 36,000, which was probably a little above average back then. When I graduated in 2012, for sure, I don't remember all the interest rates, but I do think the interest rates have been creeping up and up and up. So this one bothers me because there's a victim mentality around student loans. Understandably so. The student loan companies are predatory, and everyone just said, this is the path. Go to school at all costs. Don't worry about it. So I do think there's a piece of it where I go, not all of this is your fault, but you also signed on the dotted line just like you would with any other.

[RA Cruz]

But 18 years old, when your frontal cortex isn't even completely formed. Like, do you know what I mean?

[George Camel]

And you're like, well, you told me I needed this, so I guess I don't have an option.

[RA Cruz]

Right? Right. So I do feel bad.

[George Camel]

So I think the parents are guilty here. The guidance counselors, the student loan companies. Society at large.

[RA Cruz]

Society at large.

[George Camel]

At large. So this one does bother me. Did you see the recent White House update?

[RA Cruz]

Maybe. I don't know.

[George Camel]

They said student loan repayments back, baby.

[RA Cruz]

Oh, I did. Yes.

[George Camel]

Pay up.

[RA Cruz]

I know.

[George Camel]

So we went from like, forgiveness could happen to, it's not happening to and pay up.

[RA Cruz]

And now you're paying.

[George Camel]

So I understand. There's a lot of fear right now around student loans and paying it back. And so if you are a Gen Z or who has not yet taken out student loans, please don't. Yeah, don't be a part of these stats.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

You know, do whatever it takes.

[RA Cruz]

A gap year if you need to. Try to see if you could work without a degree, I don't know, for a hot second, maybe you can. Who knows, right? So.

[George Camel]

And don't be like, I need to move across the country to do this. I was dumb enough to do that because I thought, who needs an in state school that's super cheap and affordable when I could travel across the country and find myself.

[RA Cruz]

Okay, I had a Call on the Ramsey show. I was wondering if you hosted with me. And she was like, I don't like. The state she was in was Georgia. She had another parent that lives in like North Carolina so she could get tuition.

[George Camel]

Yes.

[RA Cruz]

I was like, but I don't like that state either. Like all this stuff. And I'm like.

[George Camel]

I was getting visibly frustrated.

[RA Cruz]

Like there's a part. It's like, I mean. And for four years of your life to get.

[George Camel]

It was. She wanted to go for interior design. I remember. And I said, I looked it up on the Internet while I was on the call. I said, there's Appalachian State for seven grand a year. Yeah, why not that. She's like, I don't like North Carolina.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, I don't. Yes, I know. I was like, girl.

[George Camel]

So she was. She wanted to go to scad, which is a very expensive, very fancy, schmancy, name brand school. Go into crippling debt so that she could have an experience.

[RA Cruz]

I know, I know.

[George Camel]

So it breaks my heart to hear that.

[RA Cruz]

All right, next. Overprotective parenting. So, man, they did Gen Z. We had parents. We had the boomers.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[RA Cruz]

Which we were 90s kids. I feel like 80s kids were feral 90s kids. We were kind of feral.

[George Camel]

We were caged with minor supervision.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah. We weren't cage. It's like all the like kidnapping stuff started happening in the 90s. Like face on the Milk Carton. Like that movie. Like, I feel like my parents were scared of kidnap.

[George Camel]

Like Stranger Danger started to become a thing.

[RA Cruz]

Yes. That was a big thing. But we could still ride. But I mean, we would be gone. Obviously. No cell phones and any of that.

[George Camel]

Do you ever think, like, they probably should have been more involved or more like chaperone with it? I feel that way. Like, I don't know how they just let me.

[RA Cruz]

You know what's funny to me is things like sleepovers. Like mom and dad, like, they.

[George Camel]

Oh, yeah, it's a big deal now. It's like, there's big.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, A lot of people don't do it now.

[George Camel]

Anti sleepover movement.

[RA Cruz]

Yes. Yes. A lot of people don't do sleepovers anymore. But mom and dad. Yeah, they're like, go, whatever. I'm like, do you even know these parents? Like, do you know anything? You know, but there was never. Yeah. So the freedom. But you know what?

[George Camel]

Like, but it was great.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah. There wasn't a lot of like, anxiety.

[George Camel]

Part of that made us more capable human beings because we were more independent.

[RA Cruz]

Figure things out. Yes, I would agree with that.

[George Camel]

Like I would take, I was 13 years old and I would walk to the train station, take a train into Boston by myself and go skateboard until 10 o' clock at night and take a train. And they would like check in on me. I let them know what time I'd be home. So there was guardrails. But I was still just skating in the streets.

[RA Cruz]

Right. Right where Now I read this line in the book Anxious Generation. I was like, that's so good. Now we are over parenting in the real world and under parenting in the technology world. So like you like hand your kid an iPad, but you're like, you're going to be on a leash if we're at an airport. Like, I can't. You know what I mean? Like, it's like, oh my gosh. It's the opposite. It should be the opposite. Like in the real world, you're gonna be fine. Go climb a tree. Go figure it out.

[George Camel]

Go climb a tree.

[RA Cruz]

Here's an iPhone 10 year old with the world on it. Do you think I'm like, I'm going.

[George Camel]

To do everything for you?

[RA Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

That's versus, you know, if, if every obstacle is removed, the kids never get the chance to grow.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah. So that was another thing. It was like instead of a helicopter parent crisis. Yeah. And instead of a helicopter parent where they're like watching everything, now it's snowplow parents. So they smooth out the path for the kid. So there's no bumps, no hurt, like nothing. They just have a very smooth walk. And yeah, that does not create resilience and all of it. But parents will call teachers. I've heard this. If the kid like is failing a class, will call the teacher and like figure out how to up the grade. And then now some school systems. George won't even fail kids.

[George Camel]

Because isn't that crazy? Because it'll hurt their selfishness and they.

[RA Cruz]

Just go ahead and pass it. Like, I mean, it's wild.

[George Camel]

Don't you think at some point we need to go, hey, if you didn't do the work, you shouldn't get a.

[RA Cruz]

B or a C. Right. So anyways, it's wild.

[George Camel]

Oh yai yai.

[RA Cruz]

I don't know what I am though. What do you think you're gonna be?

[George Camel]

Probably not good. I think probably leaning towards overprotective.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

But I don't know if that's because I have a little girl right now. I think I'll be less that way with a boy. Yeah, he bumped his head. He's okay. But when it's my Little girl.

[RA Cruz]

I'm like, angel.

[George Camel]

You see her cry.

[RA Cruz]

Just protect her so.

[George Camel]

I hope not. But my wife is very much. She's a better parent. So she's, like, done the research. We're going to limit the screen time. You know, all of that stuff.

[RA Cruz]

Right, right.

[George Camel]

So she's going to be much more involved in a healthy way of making sure that we. I don't know. Don't raise the worst kid ever. I think that's always the fear is just the goal as a modern.

[RA Cruz]

Don't be the worst I've ever.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Because now it's like, your kid's gonna survive most likely.

[RA Cruz]

Right.

[George Camel]

But how do you help them thrive on their own.

[RA Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

And feel a sense of independence and as little as little trauma as possible.

[RA Cruz]

Right.

[George Camel]

I remember asking Dr. Les Parrot that. I said, as a parent, is there a way? Because, like, most trauma comes from childhood.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Which stems from the parent. Is there a way you can just avoid that and just be a good parent and don't cause your kid any trauma? He said, no, that's impossible.

[RA Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

There's just a spectrum of trauma of what it is.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah. Yeah. It's gonna happen, George.

[George Camel]

Cause as little trauma as possible.

[RA Cruz]

Oh, man. Well, you know, it's not traumatic. Is going to cozyearth.com because the opposite.

[George Camel]

Of trauma, I think, is joy. I don't know what the opposite of trauma is.

[RA Cruz]

Absolute joy and celebration in life. Yeah. Cozy Earth. You guys, they're incredible. Like, everything from their pants. I have their joggers. I have capris. I have lounge pants. I have T shirts. I have a jacket. I have a robe. I have sheets. Head to toe, y'. All. I keep going back to cozyearth.com I really do. Partly because our discount is so amazing.

[George Camel]

It's up to 40% off.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Most things are 40% off with the code smart money. Or you go to cozyearth.com smart money to get the deal. And I'll. I'll be honest. I've been browsing. They have some clogs that I like, like house shoes. You know what I mean, George?

[RA Cruz]

And a clog.

[George Camel]

But I'm kind of into them. Yeah. I never thought I'd be a clogged guy until I went, oh, those are elegant.

[RA Cruz]

Oh, I like. I haven't checked out their shoes yet.

[George Camel]

Because I refuse to be a Crocs guy. And so I need a house shoe that's not a Croc.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

I think this is it.

[RA Cruz]

And this is it.

[George Camel]

I'll report back when I get them.

[RA Cruz]

Okay. Cozy Earth clogs, I love it. Well, Cozy Earth, it is amazing. Again, whether it's clothes or bedding, blankets.

[George Camel]

All of it, they got it all.

[RA Cruz]

It's fantastic. So make sure to check it out. Go to cozyearth.com smartmoney and check it out.

[George Camel]

All right, here we go. This is the big one. Yeah, Housing, we had to do it to them. This is a big one. With inflation, rent, mortgages, interest rates, it's out of control.

[RA Cruz]

That is sad. If you're trying to buy your first house these days. It is hard and it is depressing versus even five years ago, which you could have gotten.

[George Camel]

And this is reality. I mean the numbers are preaching here. In 2023, rates reach a 20 year high, which is the highest Gen Z has seen in their lifetime.

[RA Cruz]

Yep. Yeah, this is hard. As of late 2024, the inflation rate was sitting at around 2.5% which means goods and services cost about 2.5% more than they did the previous year. So you put all that together. It is, it was, it's insult to.

[George Camel]

Injury because you got the housing prices skyrocketing, interest rates being at a 20.

[RA Cruz]

Year high and everything else being.

[George Camel]

They're struggling with other types of debt, trying to get their career off the.

[RA Cruz]

Ground, student loan debt. We talked about all of it, so.

[George Camel]

And the job market hasn't been easy. So there's some legitimate things happening here that I have a lot of empathy for.

[RA Cruz]

Gen Z. Yeah, it is hard. And, and what's hard about it too, George, is that math doesn't change. So the formula to be wise at buying a home is still the formula, which means expectations do have to change. It means it probably is going to take longer to save for a down payment than previous years in the past.

[George Camel]

You have to compromise.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, maybe going out further than what you would have initially. Like, all of that changes, but the math doesn'. So the formula of really sticking to that 15 year fixed rate mortgage and the payment being no more than 25% of your take home pay, it's a conservative formula that we use, but it's one that sets you up well for the long term. And, and again, homeownership should be a goal for sure, but don't feel like you like rush into it. So be patient with it, be debt free, have an emergency fund in place, save up at least 5% for a down payment and begin the journey of homeownership.

[George Camel]

You know what I realized though? For Gen Z, they are so aesthetically minded versus the boomers who didn't care. You know, like, if you look back at like the 90s homes, they weren't pretty.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, yeah.

[George Camel]

Gen Z wants a pretty home to live in, which is a very reasonable expectation. The problem is those homes cost a lot more than the ones that could use some tlc.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, that's a good point.

[George Camel]

So that's also adding to all this because we. They grew up with Instagram and HGTV and, you know, flipping homes and you want the nicer countertops, the open floor plan, and that's going to cost you. Yeah, so it is. It just adds more insult to injury here. So I feel you guys. I feel you.

[RA Cruz]

It's tough. All right. Increased convenience culture. So Gen Z grew up with more convenience spending options than any other generation. So this is like rideshare apps, food delivery, even a vacation. Like if you want to stay at a hotel, you can do an Airbnb. Like, that didn't ever existed. Like, there's so many convenient ways to do things in life now, but they always come at a cost. Right. You're going to be paying more for those things, but they are convenient. And it's easy to overspend, though, because of it.

[George Camel]

Yeah, in subscription culture, I mean, it is much more prevalent now than it used to be. So their monthly bills, I mean, they just keeps going up all the streaming services, they want access to immediate information. And we get used to luxuries that now feel like necessities so that when they're taken away, like, I can't live.

[RA Cruz]

What am I doing?

[George Camel]

That's a hard one.

[RA Cruz]

That is.

[George Camel]

You know, technology and culture just keeps progressing.

[RA Cruz]

Yep. For sure. Okay, so some of those negative things for Gen Z, housing markets, student loan debts, all that. There are some perks they have, though, in life, George.

[George Camel]

Gotta talk about the good.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, the good. I'll say this. More access to financial education. If you want to learn something, you can do it.

[George Camel]

You don't have to go to the library and open up an encyclopedia. The old Britannica.

[RA Cruz]

So true. I mean, you get to. You don't have to have a textbook. You don't even really, I mean, need a degree to win with money. Like back in the day, it was like, oh, if you had a finance degree, you're going to be like, really smart with money. Now you can search the Internet. You got to make sure it's wise. Financial information, because that's the other thing.

[George Camel]

There's a lot of noise and trash.

[RA Cruz]

And confusion out there, so making sure it's good, but you can learn a lot And I would say that's true with anything. Think about parenting. My parents always say this to us. Like we had no clue what we were doing. Like, maybe you talk to friends, but like they weren't reading parenting books or thinking about counseling for their kids. Like all of this access that we have to that. Like they didn't have that. Or recipes. Like you have a recipe book.

[George Camel]

Oh, yeah.

[RA Cruz]

You can just Google lasagna and you get 30,000 lasagna recipes.

[George Camel]

Well, some great pics of lasagna and some lasagna.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah. So they do. They have access to a lot of information which.

[George Camel]

And shows like this are free.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Smart Money Happy hour. How are we not charging for this?

[RA Cruz]

You're welcome.

[George Camel]

That's amazing. And we have a great budgeting app. Our parents. Back in the day, it was just a yellow pad and prayers.

[RA Cruz]

That's right.

[George Camel]

You can Google YouTube. There's so many off chat GPT.

[RA Cruz]

I love Chat GBT now.

[George Camel]

I'm so glad you finally made it.

[RA Cruz]

I did. I downloaded it.

[George Camel]

We were worried about you. We thought, Rachel's not going to make the corner here with. She's not going to get there.

[RA Cruz]

I love it. I was like googling something like theological the other day and they're like, would you like me to have a chart to break down Protestant Catholicism and Orthodoxy? I was like, yes, yes, thank you. And it like gave me a full on chart, all this stuff. And I was like, oh, my gosh.

[George Camel]

I'm glad you found someone who wants to talk about this with you because nobody in your actual life is interested. So Chat gbt. You're like, isn't that crazy? And it's like, yes, Rachel.

[RA Cruz]

Yes, Rachel, absolutely. I will say I got very confused at one point and it was like giving me years of things. Okay. And this is where I'm. So it was a no. It was the BCE.

[George Camel]

Oh.

[RA Cruz]

But it's like 10 years off of the. Like I was very. I was getting. And I. My. It was messing me up.

[George Camel]

The congruency of BC and bc.

[RA Cruz]

So I just finally was like, please, going forward, will you just do AD and bc? Like, can I just have it? And it said, yes, confirmed. Will show now in all other searches or results or something.

[George Camel]

I was like, oh, wow, thank you. You've trained it.

[RA Cruz]

Chatgpt. Isn't that crazy?

[George Camel]

Nothing says I'm relatable and relevant. Like, please only show me AD and bc.

[RA Cruz]

Because I was getting very confused. Everyone's doing math in my head trying to think of these years.

[George Camel]

That makes me happy. You know, I'm glad you made it.

[RA Cruz]

Thank you.

[George Camel]

But it is amazing how much time we save when we're trying to find information.

[RA Cruz]

Yes, for sure. For sure.

[George Camel]

That's a great blessing. Another one. More ways to earn money.

[RA Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

Back in our parents day, I mean, what do they do for side hustles? Lawn mowing and pizza delivery.

[RA Cruz]

That's it. For real.

[George Camel]

I don't know what else you did.

[RA Cruz]

Newspapers. Throwing newspapers.

[George Camel]

That's right.

[RA Cruz]

Waking up at 4:00am man, newspapers. Remember those? Yeah. Go to the newspaper to see what was in the theater.

[George Camel]

Do you remember like opening up a newspaper.

[RA Cruz]

It smelled so good. Mom and dad would have newspapers. They would be reading them. Like I have memories of my parents like on the couch and stuff. Reading a newspaper.

[George Camel]

Yeah, man, I love it.

[RA Cruz]

Me too.

[George Camel]

Just when you had one wide open.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

I mean you were like in a tent.

[RA Cruz]

Who's behind you? Yeah, you know who's behind that?

[George Camel]

It was like a little fort. Who is that a little inky fort you were in? Oh man, I loved it.

[RA Cruz]

But yeah, lots of ways to earn money. So you're welcome, Gen Z. Lots of ways.

[George Camel]

Yeah, you can drive for rideshare or delivery service. You can advertise your dog sitting abilities on social media, sell handmade goods on Etsy. You can do a closet purge on Facebook Marketplace or ship stuff off to Thredup. These days, social media management, everyone wants to hire a young whippersnapper who knows how to post to promote their business.

[RA Cruz]

So true though.

[George Camel]

And so people are willing to pay you for just about any service and talent you have. And so you got to put yourself out there. It's still a lot of work, but there's just so much more opportunity and more and things you can just. Like I downloaded the Instacart driver app and that night I was out driving making money.

[RA Cruz]

It's wild. Yeah, you can do it.

[George Camel]

That's pretty cool.

[RA Cruz]

Now, one subscription that is worth it for Gen Z in all generations, if you will, is Delete Me. Delete Me is a fantastic subscription that you can go in. It's like this incredible service that goes and removes your data so that you're not set up for harassment, phishing scams, all of that. Because if you don't take your information off the Internet, it's like this billboard. I mean your name, your address, your kids names, your email address, your phone number. Like all this is out there. And what happens is data brokers go in and collect your data from these websites and then go and sell your data to other companies. And they get your phone number and they're texting you and you're like, is this real? Is this a scam?

[George Camel]

I don't know.

[RA Cruz]

It's crazy.

[George Camel]

And especially for Gen Z. I mean, this generation grew up on the Internet.

[RA Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

So everything's out there. Every post, every piece of information. So especially important for the younger generations who live on the Internet and freely give their data to every website that asks. Always accepting the cookies. They're tracking you. So delete me helps with all of that. They'll send you a report that's easy to see how much time they've saved you, where they removed you from. And it gives me a lot of peace of mind. So if you want 20% off, go to this link joindeleteme.com smart money. Or click the link in the description. It'll take you there. Very affordable and again, worth it. This is not a frivolous streaming subscription. This is a necessity to protect yourself.

[RA Cruz]

Yep, absolutely. All right, next is able to make smart financial decisions earlier. So when you know better, you can do better.

[George Camel]

Yeah, we get a lot of calls from people who are older saying, I wish I knew this stuff earlier. I wish I found you guys. Well, now kids are 14, 15, and a TikTok video of Rachel shows up and they start to engage and learn this stuff. And they call in the Ramsey show and they're like, I'm 16, I have $100,000 saved, and I'm just wondering what to do with it. We're like, this is insane. Like, it's crazy. There's a lot of really sharp young kids out there that are crushing it financially. I don't know if that's because they saw their parents struggle with money or their parents taught them early on through maybe our curriculum that's in half of high schools across America's foundations of personal finance, or their parents went through financial peace and so they taught the same principles to their kids. But all of that makes a huge difference. The earlier you start, the better off you're going to be. The less you're going to struggle and the more wealth you're going to build.

[RA Cruz]

Yep, it's beautiful. Next variety of career options. So you mentioned that you can make some money with some creative side hustles, career options as well. I mean, you know, if it isn't college, you have trade school, cosmetology school, community college, real estate license, work in the food or retail industry in a cool city. Like, there's a lot you can do there.

[George Camel]

Gap years. Those are in. Those are in if you got the money. Yeah, that's, that's a good way to live. But that is a big deal because a lot of I think gen zers especially are realizing they saw their older siblings go into crippling student loan debt to maybe get a job, maybe regret the degree path, maybe not use the degree. So they're going, is there a better way to do this? So they're getting creative and with the Internet and they can just learn on YouTube. Yeah, probably more than they can in some classrooms.

[RA Cruz]

That's wild.

[George Camel]

And so it's a really cool thing to watch. Now there's some jobs that I'm like, you can play video games and then just stream that and make money.

[RA Cruz]

Isn't that crazy?

[George Camel]

People making buku bucks doing this. So the fallacy is, well, I'll just do that. I'll just become a YouTuber or an.

[RA Cruz]

Influencer or like little girls want influencers. Like, that's what they said when they want to grow up.

[George Camel]

Number one and two, career paths now for kids, like, they want to be youtubers and influencers. We need people who also, I'm not gonna say we don't contribute to society as fellow YouTubers, but we need people who can like turn a wrench and do things versus just influence well.

[RA Cruz]

And I think the problem with some of that can be that world. It can be so, like me focused, where you start early on and it be and your whole life becomes about you. And that's not a fun way to live. Like, if you're not doing those outlets to serve and give back to people. Like, that needs to be the heart, right? And the posture of it all. Because that's the danger with them. That's the danger with, you know, I mean, I think every generation's been self absorbed to a degree, but man, I mean, I still think back to like when the selfies came out, when the, when the camera on the front came out and that you can like take pictures. You know what I'm saying? It used to be like taking pictures of other things or other people or you with people, but now it's like just pictures of me, like even that small of a change. I wonder what that did to us.

[George Camel]

George, can I tell you that is a major red flag if I go to someone's Instagram and it's mostly selfies.

[RA Cruz]

Oh, okay. Yeah.

[George Camel]

My first thought is like, I, I'm sorry for how insecure you are. That's my true first thought. My second thought is, ew, ew.

[RA Cruz]

Judgmental. George, we love him.

[George Camel]

But I will. There is some truth to the career part because they saw their parents work jobs that they probably hated, that they kind of felt like they had to do to survive and provide a better life for their kids. And so they're kind of pushing away from that, going, yes, I want to do this for 40 years and then maybe retire.

[RA Cruz]

Right, right.

[George Camel]

In poor health one day. I want to live now. And so I respect that about them, but I do think we were made to contribute. And so the sooner you find that thing, the better. And our friend Ken Coleman has a great resource on this. Find the work you were wired to do and it has a get clear career assessment. I think the earlier we can be teaching kids this stuff, the better off they'll be and the less resentful.

[RA Cruz]

I think he says that though. Right. Contributing is like part of your human dignity or something.

[George Camel]

Yeah. We are created to contribute. Like we're wired in our bodies to.

[RA Cruz]

I think that's true. It's good to add something to the world, to society. I love that.

[George Camel]

All right, Rachel, We've talked a lot about the things around it, but I want to address the actual questions Gen Z is asking. So our team pulled the three most asked money questions from Gen Z. Let's do a little rapid fire and give them our best advice.

[RA Cruz]

All right, question number one. Did you go to college? And if so, do you regret it? I did go to college. University of Tennessee. Go Falls and got a communications major. I'm actually using it.

[George Camel]

You are communicating?

[RA Cruz]

I am communicating. Do I regret it? No. No, I don't regret it.

[George Camel]

Any reason why, or do you want to just leave it there?

[RA Cruz]

Well, number one, I'll say this. I don't regret it because I. Because mom and dad paid for it.

[George Camel]

That helps.

[RA Cruz]

Do you know what I mean? So, like, there was a element of that.

[George Camel]

What were the stipulations around them paying for school?

[RA Cruz]

We had to stay in state, go to a public university and graduate in four years.

[George Camel]

That's a great rule.

[RA Cruz]

So if you went longer than four years, you had to pay for that semester. If you wanted to go out of state, you had to pay for the difference.

[George Camel]

So love that.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, I met Winston there. My husband was there.

[George Camel]

That's big.

[RA Cruz]

And I had fun. Like, college was fun and it wasn't like crazy college, but, like, I, like, enjoyed it. We made fun of, like. I had great friendships like that. I still talk to to this day. Great friendships. I did Young life and sorority. That's the funny thing. That was like the education part that's.

[George Camel]

What I'm getting at. Did you learn anything?

[RA Cruz]

Okay. Maybe subconsciously, like, maybe like I learned and I'm like, using things that I learned and didn't realize that I learned them, but they're like, part of me now. Do you know what I mean?

[George Camel]

Yeah. I think that's an honest answer. I'm not. Appreciate that.

[RA Cruz]

Oh, that one.

[George Camel]

My small group communication theory class. I learned this new.

[RA Cruz]

I know. So that's not like a dig on ut. Y' all are great. So great. Happy to be an alum. But I think interning in an actual company, way more beneficial. You learn so much more doing that.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[RA Cruz]

Than like taking a test about something.

[George Camel]

And there's no real experience in just textbooks and.

[RA Cruz]

Okay, what about you? Because we. We. This was different because you.

[George Camel]

I did. I. Yeah. I did a year at UMass Boston. They didn't have. I. I was gonna go to Emerson, which is a big film and media school. Realized I don't want to be the next film school dropout. It's 200 grand for four years.

[RA Cruz]

Oh, my gosh.

[George Camel]

And I went, I know we don't have that kind of money. So I went to UMass Boston. They only had English, did a year there, took a gap year, was working at the Apple store, started an indie rock band, had a good time. Ended up finishing at University of Mobile in Alabama.

[RA Cruz]

That's right.

[George Camel]

With a communication degree. And I famously went 36 grand into student loan debt total for all of this. Do I regret it? I regret the debt part. Do I regret the education? I'm going to be honest. I'm with Rachel on this. The education did almost nothing for me.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

What really helped me was the real life experience of running for SGA president, Having to run my own marketing campaign and create merch and buttons and market myself and come up with, you know, my principles. That stuff really helped. And forming a band on campus with some kids and making gigs happen, kind.

[RA Cruz]

Of the life lessons you're having and decisions you're having to make in real time.

[George Camel]

Exactly.

[RA Cruz]

That helped kind of shape that like 18, 19, 20 year old self.

[George Camel]

And then the networking there, the connections I made were more important than the education I got. So that's the one thing I would say college is worth it for.

[RA Cruz]

And I'd say that's us now. If you're a doctor, you're going to have a great education that you're actually going to use. It's not like I know how to do surgery.

[George Camel]

Yes.

[RA Cruz]

Right. So, like.

[George Camel]

And no shade to communication professors.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, we love y' all too.

[George Camel]

But it's like, it was like a 75 year old man trying to teach us about the power of social media. I'm like, bro, we got that.

[RA Cruz]

See, I don't even think we did. I don't think we even had a social media class when I was in college.

[George Camel]

Oh, that's good.

[RA Cruz]

We had.

[George Camel]

We learned how to use like Microsoft Word. Like, that was a whole class I took.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, totally. I know, I know. So, okay, that's it. All right, question number two. If you could do one thing differently with money in your teens and twenties, what would it be? Ooh, that's a good one. I would probably not spend as much as I did. I think I spent all. I mean, I just. And I. And I kind of still do it.

[George Camel]

Sometimes, so nothing's changed. You haven't learned from.

[RA Cruz]

But I just, I mean, I spent on just like stupid stuff. Like, Like, I. I don't even know. I couldn't even tell you. But it was like, I went to Claire's a lot. I went to Abercrombie and Hollister, and you just buy these like $7T shirts or like $15T shirts.

[George Camel]

You're just shopping to fill time.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, yeah. Just to, like, just to do it, you know what I mean? And I'm like, I wish I had probably worked on, like, myself more than just buying stuff, you know? I wish I did that. Um, yeah, that'd probably be the big. I wish I got in the habit more of, like, contentment than I did in my 20s and, and as my. In my teens. How are you?

[George Camel]

No, mine's similar because when I was working, I was working and living at home, but because I was living at home and didn't have real bills, I was just spending everything I made.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

So I think I would have done better to live on my own working because I would have taken it more seriously.

[RA Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

Instead of just using the money, I got to buy stuff from the stores I worked at at a discount.

[RA Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

Thinking I'm really winning. So I wish I just spent less and saved more so that when I got into adulthood, I had a pile of money saved and no debt instead of the opposite. Yeah, pile of debt, no money saved.

[RA Cruz]

Yep, yep, that's a good one.

[George Camel]

All right, last one. What's the number one decision or habit that was the biggest game changer for building wealth?

[RA Cruz]

Oh, gosh.

[George Camel]

Don't you love those questions?

[RA Cruz]

I have to say, the budget, for me, honestly, the budget has helped so much. And as a spender I think it's like given me the ability to spend in times that I can. And it's free and it's freedom. It's not free. The stuff isn't free. I'm still spending money on it. But like the freedom and the, the guilt free spending. Yeah. It's not like the mental cloud that you have of like trying to figure out like if it's okay or not. Just like that. Permission to spend. I love. And then it does help us a lot when we're saving for things coming up. Like if we have a trip and it's like, okay, we gotta like book a hotel. So like you'll spend some money doing that this month. So we budget that in, we plan ahead. Like it just kind of gives everything a level of control. When I feel like we have like 30,000 expenses all the time. Like I feel like just stuff is going out all the time. So it's like this just gives us a good baseline. But like here's what's happening and here's where we have to cut back. Here's where we're good to go forward. All of it. So we use Every dollar, the budgeting app. And it's fantastic. You guys. I'll put a link down below and you can check it out if you've not yet. But download every dollar. So I would say for me, the biggest habit, because that is a habit I'm in on like a daily basis is the budget. So that's been very helpful.

[George Camel]

That's a good one. I'll go with the decision. This one's gonna feel hokey, but it's true. Marry the right person. That's the greatest wealth building hack I can give you. If you're aligned when it comes to the money principles, you're aligned on the vision and the goals of where you guys want to go. You're both willing to have skin in the game and do whatever it takes. You're going to build wealth exponentially faster than someone who's not on the same page. Poor communication. They're dragging you down while you're trying to achieve a goal. And so get that out ahead, get ahead of it instead of trying to reverse engineer it.

[RA Cruz]

That's good. After the first. That's good. I love it.

[George Camel]

But I do think to your point, automating the healthy habits and putting friction to the bad ones, I think overall is the habit. So automating is doing that budget every month, setting the money aside in savings before you spend.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

And then adding friction to like removing your card info. And not going to the places you know you're going to be tempted to spend money.

[RA Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

All that's going to help you as well.

[RA Cruz]

That's great.

[George Camel]

I feel like an old.

[RA Cruz]

Old wise.

[George Camel]

Back'S hurting now just talking to Gen Z old wise millennials.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, we're just teaching y' all a ton.

[George Camel]

Yeah, we covered a lot. What's. What's the major takeaway you have for our Gen Z friends? Are they screwed financially? Is there still hope?

[RA Cruz]

Yes, I think there's a lot of hope. And I think they could actually do a whole lot better than the generations above them. Millennials and baby boomers, all of it. I think. I think Gen Z's got this. I really do. I think they have enough, like, tenacity in them. Enough, like, they can have that level of aggression. And it's good where they're like, don't conform me into all of that. I'm gonna do something different. I think it's a great thing.

[George Camel]

Yes. I would say use your resourcefulness to your benefit. Financially. You are so smart, you have access to so much, so much opportunity. So don't squander it. Don't fall for the traps, don't fall for the trends. Go against the grain of what society is telling you and even sometimes what your parents are telling you to do. Because our parents, a lot of them are broke. And so we want to go the other way and change our family tree, as we like to say. And I think Gen Z is going to be the generation that we go, holy crap, look at what's possible.

[RA Cruz]

Look what they're doing.

[George Camel]

This is amazing.

[RA Cruz]

I like Gen Z. I like all their phrases.

[George Camel]

I mean, we look to them for all the trends.

[RA Cruz]

They have cool phrases like, goss.

[George Camel]

Is that one.

[RA Cruz]

No, you said.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I don't think any of them are using that. I meant that to be offensive, to show how out of touch I truly am. Here's what I realized. By the time we get to their phrases, they've long moved on.

[RA Cruz]

I know. I learned about cheugy. And then I said it, and one of them was like, isn't that it? Okay, okay. I was like, oh, no, did I say it wrong?

[George Camel]

2013 called. They want their first.

[RA Cruz]

And then they were like, I think that's kind of out now. I was like, shoot, I just learned that word. I love that word. Like, it's great.

[George Camel]

Well, just don't tell anyone that you like Katy Perry, okay. Cause that's out, too. Apparently, we are done liking Katy Perry.

[RA Cruz]

I know. Sweet astronaut Katy.

[George Camel]

Do we like the Pope. I don't know. I asked Gen Z, they tell me if I should like the film. Oh, yeah, I think so.

[RA Cruz]

An American. That's pretty fun. From Chicago. Like, we have friends from Chicago that, like, literally went to his college and said, like, it's pretty wild.

[George Camel]

Gen Z. Gen Z gets an American Pope.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, that's right.

[George Camel]

Good for you guys.

[RA Cruz]

Good for y'. All.

[George Camel]

You know what I did? Can I give you the Gen Z life hack real quick before we end? I turned my action button into a Voice to ChatGPT function that talks back to me.

[RA Cruz]

Shut the fuck up.

[George Camel]

So I hold this button.

[RA Cruz]

No, no. Instead of Siri, it's chatgpt instead of Siri.

[George Camel]

You're gonna be so amazed by this. You ready?

[RA Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Can I say hello?

[RA Cruz]

Where were all the popes from? Hey, where were all the popes from? Most of the popes throughout history have been from Italy. In fact, for many centuries, the papacy was dominated by Italians. However, in more times, popes have come from various countries, including Poland, Germany, Argentina, and more.

[George Camel]

America in America.

[RA Cruz]

Ah, gotcha. So far, there hasn't been a pope from the United States or anywhere in the Americas until Pope Francis, who is from Argentina.

[George Camel]

Hey, I gotta stop you there. You gotta get with the time, sis. The new Pope is from Chicago. Don't. No, don't laugh.

[RA Cruz]

Oh, wow. That's a big development. My mistake for not being up to date on that one. Thanks for letting me know.

[George Camel]

I gotta say, this is my only friend, okay. Owns up when they're wrong, always gives me mostly accurate information.

[RA Cruz]

And you know what? Takes the criticism of, like, oh, laughs. Yeah, that's fine.

[George Camel]

Laughs at all my jokes.

[RA Cruz]

Thanks, George, for telling me. Okay. I can't believe she didn't know about that. That's a. That's a slam on ChatGPT.

[George Camel]

Big slam, right?

[RA Cruz]

That's good.

[George Camel]

Well, they're having a hard time keeping up. There's so much news.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, but I mean, it's kind of worldwide news. Okay, anyways, here we go. Anyways. Tell us what we're sipping on.

[George Camel]

George, we have been sipping on a strawberry mojito mocktail. The cost comes out to $2.41. It's got strawberries, mint leaves, lime juice, and sparkling water. And it looks like it's all kind of muddled in there. Is that correct? It's a muddled drink, which we like. If you like to chew on your drinks, you'll like this one.

[RA Cruz]

So fancy. I like it.

[George Camel]

That really made it. I'm gonna give this one a 8 out of 10.

[RA Cruz]

Cal's gonna go 9 out of 10. I liked it.

[George Camel]

I think the sourness needs to be tempered with a little bit more sweet. I'm noticing on this list, there's nothing sweet.

[RA Cruz]

Oh. Like, no. Like simple syrup or something.

[George Camel]

And they just need something to balance out the lime juice. But other than that, it's so good. Great marks for me.

[RA Cruz]

So good.

[George Camel]

If you want to try it at home, get the recipe in the show notes, have the kids make it. They can have this one, too.

[RA Cruz]

All right, now it's time for Guilty as charged. And this is where we ask each other a guilty as church question every week. And if we're guilty, we take a sip. George, have you ever judged someone from another generation for their money decisions?

[George Camel]

Yeah, probably in the last five minutes. I gotta think of a specific situation and what generation. I know I could probably have one for every generation if I wanted to. So I don't want a single one out, but I will.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah. I think. I think one of the funniest ones. And I love him so much. My papa, who's 96 years old, wonderful man. We learned that he has money buried in his backyard.

[George Camel]

Like, all of it.

[RA Cruz]

I don't know. I don't know. But. But. But I. And I don't judge it completely because I'm like. He came out of, like, you know, Great Depression era and, like, all the things literally curious of banks, you know, maybe a little bit, like.

[George Camel]

Like, it all could all come crashing down.

[RA Cruz]

Who knows? Yep. And it's just safer out there. But we, us grandkids, we always laugh because we would, like, find random, like, jars of money places in his house, too.

[George Camel]

Oh, inside of the house. Like, you're playing hide and seek and you're just finding a jar. 500 bucks.

[RA Cruz]

Yes. Yeah.

[George Camel]

In the ceiling stuff.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah. He had, like, ceiling tiles in his basement.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[RA Cruz]

And we were, like, jumping on the beds one time as kids and, like, hitting them. And one of our cousins could jump so high, and, like, he was like, I see something in the corner. Anyways, we found it. I know.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[RA Cruz]

I don't know if I'm supposed to tell that if that's a family secret or not, but that's a generational thing.

[George Camel]

Well, my guess is a guy like that, I don't want to be darkening the door of that house because he's probably fully armed, you know what I mean?

[RA Cruz]

Ready to take someone down. Sweet pap.

[George Camel]

All my worry is, what if he starts to forget where he stored it all?

[RA Cruz]

We wonder about that it's gonna be.

[George Camel]

The great scavenger hunt. I know, but that does give me an idea. Instead of leaving money in my will and like, hey, each of you get a quarter. I kind of like the idea of a scavenger hunt. Winner takes all. Finders keepers.

[RA Cruz]

Have you heard about this book? There's like a treasure. Have y' all heard about this? People are traveling all across America to find this treasure. Have you heard this? Never mind.

[George Camel]

No.

[RA Cruz]

Okay. Anyways, you could be that people. Uh huh.

[George Camel]

I just like kind of not trolling after I die, but just having a little bit of fun with it. Like, oh my. I can't believe he. That's classic. Pop out George.

[RA Cruz]

Pop Pop George. Look what he's doing, man. Okay, how about you?

[George Camel]

What gets me is the. I'll go after Gen Z because we had some fun with them.

[RA Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

But the aesthetic. Posting on Instagram, like, they go places to take the photo, to say they went there so they can feel like something happened.

[RA Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

You know what I mean? Like, they're chasing after the aesthetic more than they are the experience. A true experience.

[RA Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

I hear kind of living through the phone, that might be food. That might be the twelve dollar latte at the trendy place that they stood in line for an hour and a half, but they're just sort of masking the reality of the bad parts and only trying to highlight the good parts, which only makes the whole social media facade worse.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, makes her. Yeah.

[George Camel]

While overspending on brunch because it was cute. You know what I mean? So that part, bottomless mimosa. I do wish. I hope that changes.

[RA Cruz]

Okay. I like that part to where, like.

[George Camel]

The Instagramming is less and you just go places and you don't have to tell people about it.

[RA Cruz]

Yeah, you just enjoy.

[George Camel]

Exactly.

[RA Cruz]

Good for you guys.

[George Camel]

Just be present with your friends instead of trying to get the perfect photo.

[RA Cruz]

I think that's good. Well, if you guys enjoyed this episode, make sure to leave a review. And here are hot takes from someone in the industry who's been doing it for 40 years. So catch our episode with Dave Ramsey. He answers your most asked questions.

[George Camel]

That was a fun one.

[RA Cruz]

Coming up next. And if you're listening on podcast, click the link down in the description. All right, you guys, we'll see you next Thursday on an allnew episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.